Manifold form



Patented Nov. 3, `1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MANIFOLD FORM George Robert Bailey, St. Paul, Minn. Application March 5, 1941, serial No. 381,811

3 Claims.

My invention relates lto a manifold form wherein it is desired to provide a pad of sheets having carbon paper interposed therebetween for the purpose of providing duplicate copies of 'an order or the like.

Many different types of manifold forms have previously been -constructed'which embodied the use of so called one time carbon paper which is used during the making out of the form and which is discarded after use. Certain of these constructions bind the carbon paper into an edge binding integral with the duplicate sheets and the sheets may be separated from the carbon by perforating the sheets adjacent the binding line. Others of the constructions provide various types of tabs by means of whichv the carbon may be removed from the duplicate sheets. Still other constructions have the carbon loosely positioned between the original and duplicate sheets, so that the carb-on may be removed therefrom.

All of these constructions have certain disadvantages which become apparent through continued use of the same. Those constructions in which the carbon is removed from the original and duplicate sheets by tearing the individual sheets along the perforated line adjacent a binding edge where the sheets are bound to the carbon paper have the disadvantage of removing all of the carbon sheets simultaneously with what is termed a snap out action. Those forms in which the carbon is loosely positioned between the sheets, have the obvious difliculty of being hard to handle without having the carbon sheets move out of place.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a manifold form which may be readily constructed to embody any number of sheets within the limits of operation of the carbon paper used. This form is in preferred form bound with a series of other forms into a pad of sheets. When the form, including a series of sheets, is torn from the original pad the sheets of the form remain xed together along one edge with the carbon papers interposed between each adjacent pair of sheets.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a duplicate form pad embodying a series of similar pads and to fasten all of the sheets of the pad together along one edge of the same. When it is desired to use one form of the pad, the sheets of this form may be separated from the remaining :forms of the pad without affecting the connection between the individual sheets of the form or between the individual sheets of any form reas the remaining sheets of the form, are secured in place along one edge thereof.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a manifold form comprising an original sheet and one or more duplicate sheets Connected along one edge thereof, and to so design the connected edge of each carbon sheet, so that the carbon paper is retained inthe pad less securely than the original and duplicate sheets thereof. Accordingly with this form of construction, the carbon sheets may be withdrawn from the position between the original and duplicate sheets without destroying the marginal connection between the original 4and duplicate sheets of the form.

It isa further feature of my invention to provide in conjunction with the weakened line of at tachment between the carbon sheets and the remaining sheets a specic form of sheet construction, so that the various original and duplicate sheets of the form may be grasped and the carbon sheets between theseoriginal and duplicate sheets may also be grasped collectively. With this construction all of the carbon sheets may be` collectively separated from the original and duplicate sheets or any consecutive series of carbon sheets may be removed simultaneously without affecting the connection of the remaining sheets.

It is a feature of my invention that all of the sheets of the form are provided with edges, some part of which are arranged in alignment. With this construction the various sheets forming the pad may be quickly and easilystacked in superimposed relation without the necessity of expensive or complicated equipment to accomplish this result. With the sheets `stacked insuperimposed relation, a coating of adhesive is applied along one edge of the sheetsvvhich holds all of the individual sheets of the pad in this superimposed relation. The adhesive used is so formed that when a series of the sheets are torn from the pad, the adhesive will remainvaflixed to the various sheets of the form; thus holding the removed sheets in superimposed relation, aswell as the sheets remaining in the pad.

It is a feature of `my`invention that as the sheets .are of substantially uniform size, or at least are provided with edges which extend in flush relationship, the sheets of the pad may be effectively stacked and coated with adhesive along one edge thereof, without danger of any of the sheets not being bound by the adhesive.

It is a further feature of my invention that with my form of construction one or more of the maining in the pad. The carbon sheets, as well 55 Carbon sheets of each duplicate form may be individually removed where it is desired to make notations on certain of the sheets which need not, or should not, appear on the remaining sheets. Thus, for example, if an order is to be prepared on a manifold form having ve sheets it may be necessary to quote the sale price of the order on only three of the sheets and to quote shipping directions on but two of these three sheets. Accordingly, after the order has been prepared, two of the carbon sheets may be removed before the price is written upon the order and an additional sheet may be removed before the shipping instructions are written upon the order. Thus, only two of the sheets may contain all of the information written upon the original sheet and the remaining sheets of the duplicate form may contain only a part of the information. This feature is of extreme importance in some instances, as it permits the use of the duplicateA form system of writing orders, without the necessity of copying a portion of the information on other orders to send to certain divisions of the plant or manufacturing company. This construction also prevents confidential information from being transmitted throughout the entire organization through the use of a duplicale form system of preparing orders or other forms.

It is a further feature of my invention, that the carbon sheets may be provided with an edge, portions of which are cut away to lessen the area of contact of these carbon sheets with the adhesive strip. Notches of any desired shape may be formed in the edges of the sheets, leaving a limited length of engagement between the carbon sheets and the adhesive and thus weakening the binding between the carbon sheets and the original and duplicate sheets. This construction is important as it permits the removal of the carbon sheets individually or collectively without destroying the engagement or connection between the original and duplicate sheets.

It is a further feature of my invention that; my construction lends itself readily to the numbering of the form sheets. Whether the sheets of each duplicate form are given the same number or whether the individual sheets of the form are individually numbered, the sheets may be readily numbered, as they are of the same size and come consecutively bound in pad form. This construction also has the advantage of holding the forms in consecutive order, thereby minimizing the chance of having the forms used out of serial order, and the chance of losing individual forms.

With my manifold form it is not necessary to employ signature machines for applying the signatures to a series of similar sheets, as the sheets may be signed with'some instrument, such as an indelible pencil, so that the signature is impressed upon all of the sheets of the pad, or upon any desired number of these sheets.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawing forming a part of my specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a manifold pad embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged View of a portion of the pad illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the pad, the position of the section being indicated 'by the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a slightly different form of construction of pad.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4 showing another modified form of pad construction.

Figure 6 is another View similar to Figures 4 and 5 showing still another form of pad construction.

The manifold form pad A comprises a series of manifold forms stacked into superimposed relation and adhered together along one edge of the same. The pad shown in Figure 1 may comprise a single manifold form having a plurality of sheets, but, as shown, is thicker than the usual manifold form as the number of duplicates which may be made from a single original sheet is somewhat limited. Each manifold form comprises a series of superimposed duplicate sheets and an original sheet having carbon paper inserted therebetween. The number of duplicate sheets and each original sheet may vary, if it is so desired, so long as it is not necessary to number the sheets or to have different forms for the duplicate sheets that are used for the original sheets. In usual form, however, each duplicate form comprises a series of sheets, each of which may be of a different color or bear different indicia together with an original sheet and carbon paper interleaved therebetween.

As shown in Figure 1 the original sheets ID are substantially rectangular in usual form and are provided with a cut-off corner II to expose the corner of the car-bon sheets I2. The carbon sheets I2 are substantially similarly shaped but are provided with a cut-off corner I3 which does not correspond in position to the cut-oi corners Il of the original sheets I0.

The duplicate sheets Ill are provided with similarly cut away corners I5 which correspond in position and shape to the cut-o corners II of the original sheet Il). Thus, the carbon sheets I2 all project beyond the confines of the original sheet III and the duplicate sheets I4 at the cutoff corners II and I5. Similarly the original sheets IIB and the duplicate sheets Id extend beyond the confines of the carbon sheets I2 adjacent the cut-off corners I3 of the carbon sheets. This permits the original and duplicate sheets to be grasped by the fingers of one hand while the carbon sheets I2 are grasped by the fingers of the other hand, to remove the carbon sheets from the original and duplicate sheets when it is so desired.

Along the edge I6 of the pad of sheets A, I provide a strip of adhesive I1 which holds the various sheets of the pad in superimposed relation. The adhesive strip I'I contacts the original sheets IB, each of the carbon sheets I2, and the duplicate sheets Iii, so that all of the sheets are adhered together along one edge thereof.

In order to permit the carbon sheets to be removed from between the original sheets without affecting the strength of the connection, I provide a series of notches I9 in the attached edge of the carbon sheet I2. This provides a series of spaced tabs 20 which extend into engagement with the adhesive strip Il. In other words, the carbon sheet is not secured to the adhesive continuously throughout its entire length, but is only secured to the adhesive throughout the length of the spaced tabs 20. Obviously the adhesion between the adhesive strip I'I and the carbon sheets I2 is considerably weaker than the adhesion between the adhesive strip I 'I and the original sheets Il) and the duplicate sheets I4. Thus the carbon sheets I2 may be removed from the adhesive without injuring the connection between the adhesive and the remaining sheets, leaving the remaining sheets adhered together.

In Figure 4 of the drawing I show a similar construction which embodies paper sheets 2l and carbon sheets 22 connected together by means of an adhesive strip23. The carbon sheets 22 are provided with substantially rectangular notches 24 therein, which weaken the adhesion between the carbon sheets 22 and the adhesive strip 23 as the sheets 22 contact the adhesive only through the spaced tabs 25 between the notches 24.

In Figure of the drawing I disclose another modied form of construction in which the sheets 26 are secured in pad form with carbon sheets, such as 21, by means of an adhesive strip 29. Notches 3B are provided in the edges of the carbon sheets 21, thus providing spaced attaching tabs 3l, which limit the area of contact between the carbon sheets y2'! and the adhesive 29.

In Figure 6 of the drawing I disclose another form of pad construction. The pad illustrated in Figure 6 includes a series of paper sheets 32 having interleaved therebetween carbon sheets 33. As will be seen in Figure 6, the carbon sheets 33 are provided with deckled edges 34, which lessen the length of contact between the carbon sheets 33 and the adhesive strip 35 used to connect the various sheets together. The adhesive strip 35 only engages the deckled edge 34 at spaced intervals, thereby permitting the carbon sheets 3,3 to be readily removed without affecting the connection between the superimposed sheets 32.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of construction and operation of my manifold form pad, and while I have endeavored` to set forth the best embodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the folowing claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A manifold form comprising a series of superimposed paper sheets having manifolding sheets interleaved therebetween, an edge of said first named sheets and said manifolding sheets being arranged in superimposed relationship, a strip of adhesive extending along said edge of said sheets to connect all of said sheets in pad form, said edges of said manifolding sheets being deckled to lessen the length of engagement between said manifolding sheets and said adhesive.

2, A manifold form comprising a series of superimposed paper sheets having manifolding sheets interleaved therebetween, an edge of said rst named sheets and said manifolding sheets being arranged in superimposed relation, a strip of adhesive extending along said edge of said Sheets to connect all ofsaid sheets in pad form,

said edges of said manifolding sheets being deckled to lessen the length of engagement between said manifolding sheets and said adhesive, said deckling also decreasing the thickness of the portions of the sheet engaging said adhesive.

3. A manifold form comprising a series of superimposed paper sheets having manifolding sheets interleaved therebetween, an edge of said first named sheets and said manifolding sheets being arranged in superimposed relationship, a strip of adhesive extending along said edge of said sheets to connect all of said sheets in pad form, the edges of said manifolding sheets being deckled to lessen the length of engagement between said manifolding sheets and said adhesive, said deckled edge providing projecting portions on the manifolding sheets for engagement with the adhesive, which projecting portions are not in superimposed relationship.

GEORGE ROBERT BAILEY. 

